THE THURSO. 361 



four sprigs of red parrot ; body, two turns of yellow, ditto 

 of red, and the rest of black crewel ; gold tinsel ; a black 

 hackle only at the shoulder, with a blue jay over it ; under 

 wing, tippet with slips of brown mallard over, mixed wood- 

 duck and gallina above that ; blue macaw ribs. 



No. 2. Tag, silver twist and orange floss ; tail, one top- 

 ping, a few sprigs of tippet and wood-duck mixed ; but 

 peacock herl; body, pale blue silk; fine silver thread 

 doubled ; lightish red claret hackle from but to head, two 

 turns of blue jay on shoulder; wing, gold pheasant tail 

 and tippet sprigs, mixed lightish mallard and gallina 

 over ; black head. 



No. 3. Tag, silver twist and ruby silk ; tail, sprigs of 

 tippet, black partridge, or, failing in that, a bit of dark 

 teal and gallina mixed ; but, black ostrich herl ; body, two 

 turns of blue, and two of ruby floss, the rest of a dirty 

 orange, or olive-yellow floss ; gold thread doubled ; olive 

 hackle (down to ruby floss), grouse hackle on shoulder ; 

 wing a strip of dark (almost black) turkey, with light 

 tippet over, sprigs of tippet, bustard, bright red and yellow 

 gallina over that, and mallard above all ; blue macaw ribs, 

 and black head. 



No. 4. Tag, silver twist and orange floss ; tail, a yellow 

 toucan feather ; body, dark mulberry floss ; gold tinsel ,' 

 brown claret (I should call it ' fiery brown ') hackle, 

 grouse hackle on shoulder ; wing, same as No. 3 ; head 

 black. 



THE THURSO. 



The Thurso is one of the best early, spring rivers in 

 Scotland, and seldom fails in yielding sport. It is not a 

 large river, but is fed by several small lakes. It is ex- 

 tremely prolific, but rather a dull dead stream, is perfectly 

 open, devoid of high banks, and very easy to fish. For all 

 these reasons it is a capital river to enter a green hand on, 



